Brotformen, a bread rising basket.

Last night two of girlfriends kidnapped me away for a few hours.We went to our neighborhood Goodwill store,don't we live a wild life? We spent 2 hours looking over EVERYTHING,tried on clothes,shoes and clattered through the dishes. I found a small sifter,.99 cents, a restaurant wear (my newest collection.) coffee mug .99 cents,a polka dotted glass .99 cents and on one of the final isles I found my biggest thrill and it was a cheap one!
A Brotformen basket! I had knocked a stack of other baskets over,went to pick them up and there on the shelf calling my name was the Brotformen. Last winter I had seen them on the King Arthur Flour's website for around $ 30, I wanted it but not a price I wanted to pay. The basket last night had no price on it but I was willing to pay up to $10 for it.When I went to check out I was quoted the price of $2.99, whoop whoop, my luck! My total for the night was under $6 what a great night to be stolen away!
So what is a Brotfomen? It is a coiled willow basket used in Germany to rise bread in.You put a thick layer of flour in the basket and place your bread dough smooth side down, in it for it's last rising.When the dough is ready to bake you turn the dough carefully onto your baking sheet.You end up with pretty circles of flour and a slight bee gum shaped bread.The flour and circles stay even once you have baked the bread.The darker the dough the more prominent the rings will be.

The King Arthur Flour's website sells them.I went onto their site today and found the directions on how to use and care for a Brotformen.I also spied while there a chance to enter their sweepstakes.You could win $1000 gift card plus a cookbook,$500 gift card and the book or $100 giftcard.I signed up even the $100 giftcard would be easily spent.
A loaf of handcrafted bread is beauty onto it's self. There's endless ways to take a simple bread recipe into a work of art. I used my everyday bread recipe,baked one as a cottage style loaf and the other came from the Brotformen. So pretty to look at.
My next pan on my wish list is a long Pullman Pan also called a Pain de Mie Pan.These pans make a longer sandwich loaf perfect for a more store bought look.They even come with a lid that slides on. Someday,but right now spending $40 on one pan is a bit ridiculous. It's good to have wishes.

Rois